Post by Purple Pain on Nov 22, 2020 9:20:45 GMT -6
If it’s not clear by the tweet, the question refers to the Vikings’ nonexistent effort to score before halftime on Monday.
The Vikings led 7-6, had 49 seconds and two timeouts from their own 25-yard line, ran it once for no gain and then gave up. Considering the Detroit Lions only needed 16 seconds and two timeouts to get in field goal range from their own 25 the day prior, it’s a bad look. Especially when the Chicago Bears returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown.
What changed from Week 9? The Vikings were leading 13-10 against Detroit and had three timeouts with 1:13 left but were even deeper in their own territory, pinned at their own 13. After two short gains, they were at the 26-yard line with two timeouts left and 51 seconds — so essentially an identical circumstance to Monday night. From there, the Vikings needed only four timeouts to score a touchdown without even using a timeout.
It’s not as if the Vikings had been struggling to move the ball on Monday either. A pair of uncharacteristic turnovers cost them points, but their drives had gone for 47, 41, 29 and 52 yards apiece. It’s an odd decision to feel content with a 1-point lead when the opponent was guaranteed the next possession.
The alarming trend is the 1st and 10 run during the two-minute drill, which arbitrarily seems to dictate whether the Vikings try and score. Pro Football Reference’s play finder shows the Vikings are second in the league with seven first-down runs when they have the ball inside of two minutes to go in the first half and they’re still in the own territory (you got all that?). In three of those instances, the Vikings managed to score — a touchdown against Detroit, field goals against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
It’s a weird quirk, certainly. But maybe Zimmer and Co. get the last laugh: They are third in the league since he took over in producing scoring drives in the final two minutes of first halves. Strange, but true.
The Vikings led 7-6, had 49 seconds and two timeouts from their own 25-yard line, ran it once for no gain and then gave up. Considering the Detroit Lions only needed 16 seconds and two timeouts to get in field goal range from their own 25 the day prior, it’s a bad look. Especially when the Chicago Bears returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown.
What changed from Week 9? The Vikings were leading 13-10 against Detroit and had three timeouts with 1:13 left but were even deeper in their own territory, pinned at their own 13. After two short gains, they were at the 26-yard line with two timeouts left and 51 seconds — so essentially an identical circumstance to Monday night. From there, the Vikings needed only four timeouts to score a touchdown without even using a timeout.
It’s not as if the Vikings had been struggling to move the ball on Monday either. A pair of uncharacteristic turnovers cost them points, but their drives had gone for 47, 41, 29 and 52 yards apiece. It’s an odd decision to feel content with a 1-point lead when the opponent was guaranteed the next possession.
The alarming trend is the 1st and 10 run during the two-minute drill, which arbitrarily seems to dictate whether the Vikings try and score. Pro Football Reference’s play finder shows the Vikings are second in the league with seven first-down runs when they have the ball inside of two minutes to go in the first half and they’re still in the own territory (you got all that?). In three of those instances, the Vikings managed to score — a touchdown against Detroit, field goals against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
It’s a weird quirk, certainly. But maybe Zimmer and Co. get the last laugh: They are third in the league since he took over in producing scoring drives in the final two minutes of first halves. Strange, but true.
zonecoverage.com/2020/minnesota-vikings-news/vikings-mailbag-special-teams-woes-end-of-half-aggression-2020-redraft/
... and neither is this Chris guy.